Waning Wonders
Is the planet's current condition our fault?
We humans have been fortunate enough to have Mother Earth provide us with shelter, food, and a place to live, and now we are slowly repaying her with what? Deforestation, illegal land invasion, and constructing homes on dried-up riverbeds.
It has long baffled me how some people can be deceitful and demand gratitude. One minute they are preaching the gospel of animal rights and environmental protection, and the next they are using vegan-sounding materials made from animal skins.
Seeing as how some places ensnare and abuse little animals for photoshoots, I have never been a fan of going to zoos and similar establishments. People freely take pictures of the fainted animals because they are marketed as toys. They transform into showboats and flaunt their devotion to them.
Wild places, such as national parks, I kind of love because they allow animals to be themselves and do not have to worry about humans poaching them.
These thoughts keep popping into my head, and I can never quite put my finger on why. Something about animals and the natural world's wonders just speaks to me. As I was enjoying a stroll through my backyard garden, I noticed an African Monarch butterfly perched on a large pink Dahlia, freely sucking nectar from the flower.
I took this picture one month ago, on February 1st, when the weather was quite pleasant and airy.
My house is lucky enough to host a wide variety of wildlife, including peacocks, peahens, parrots, semnopithecus (langur), pigeons, squirrels, butterflies, and countless other small birds and insects that I am unable to even begin to list. Regardless, I capture every one of their images. In addition, I was lucky enough to see a kingfisher and a woodpecker, both of which are quite uncommon around my home.
I feel my spirit being purified by them. I imagine a liberated me in them, free from all constraints. Their gradual depletion makes me wonder if pollution and fast population growth are to blame. Crows and eagles are also common, but I still only see a handful of them.
What saddened me was this butterfly. I beheld them in a row for two days, even the little yellow ones. Yet they have vanished from view. Who knows? They could be.
The bees land at my door every day, and then the next thing I know, they are dead. A mass extinction of bees would be a catastrophic event for humanity.
Through it all, my garden has been a witness to both joy and sorrow. If only I could change the hands of the clock, I would go back in time. There was complete freedom of movement for all animals during the lockdown and pandemic.
The air was crisp and the scenery was serene. However, in the present day, things have become extremely fast. Ladybirds have vanished from my sight, too.
When my mom and I talk about global issues, one thing she always makes sure to mention is how the Kaliyuga is going in the wrong direction and why it is the worst. For what reason? To put it bluntly, people care only about themselves.
They appear to be friendly one minute and treacherous the next. Ahhh, being someone who values nature, I fret over the animals.
Is this how we’ll be serving and surviving? That's my only question.
To be honest, these are the most common, insignificant worries I have. All I can do is hope for a world free of negativity and disturbed souls where everyone can thrive.
Feel free to drop claps, feedback, comments, or your views on this.
In your opinion, how does this matter stand? Let me know in the comment section below.
